Hidden away in the waterside suburb of Beach Haven is a small restaurant slash coffee shop where…read moreyou can sit under the trees and enjoy life in the suburbs. Beach Haven and the surrounding area is in short supply of restaurants and other eateries, so finding a great place to catch a nibble and a cup of tea is great, and to find one as good as Café Patiserie is a true blessing. Across the road from the video shop and near the play park, most parents in the area can use this as a good excuse to meet other parents, and to make something of their Saturday morning or afternoon. I normally use it as a halfway stop when I take the dog for a walk, and the cafe owners are more than happy to put some water out for my pup. Now there's extra inspiration to take the family dog for a walk.

Don't be put off by how it looks from the outside. It is slightly run down and definitely looks a…read morebit tired. But all it needs is a quick little re-do and I think it would look bright and welcoming. Which is what it should look like because it's sure worth going inside! I came here the first time because it's the only place like it there in Beach haven. We went for breakfast and I was feeling rather hungus so I ordered the big breakfast. It was very impressive! Bacon, eggs, two different types of sausage, hash browns and toast. The sausages were the wow factor for me, and that's what kept calling me back. I have yet to venture from my usual big breakfast but I'm sure I will one day when the sausages don't seem so appetizing. I'm also keen to try some of their sweet things. The cabinet is filled with delicious looking treats! And I've also heard their authentic French Quiche is top notch.

My first time here. Very impressed! Walked in, table's were full so thats a good sign, found a…read morelovely sunny spot by the window at the back after ordering a Hash Stack. A previous review below got me hankering for it. Was not dissapointed. Even though they were busy the staff were very friendly and attentive and the food made it out in lighting quick time! Hash browns looked hand made with great texture, thickness and flavor. Egg was runny and was absorbed well into the 2 fluffy ciabatta pieces of bread. Bacon was crispy but not overcooked and there was enought to have a good chunk with every delicious fork full. If I had any gripe it was only a small one & was with the avocado. Was borderline raw but they can be hard to gauge especially when cooking en volume and under the gun so no points lost there. Will be back here for sure. The list on the menu deserves a good trial & if my first experiance is emulated I am sure this will be good eats!

Absolutely disgusting behaviour from the owner. Me and my…read morepartner have supported them for well over a year almost every weekend The waitresses are amazing and they know exactly what drinks we order with our food every time (2 cokes and 2 teas) they always have a smile and ask how we are. But today... After waiting 35 minutes for our meal, Starving, Took a bite of my burger, and all I could taste was salt. I informed the trainee no English waitress who took the plate back into the kitchen, we then waited another 15 minutes for a new plate to come out, when we asked what was happening, the waitress said...oh I did told chef. We said ok, so are we getting it replaced ? She looked shocked, said nothing and grabbed the owner. He said, no you didnt tell us you wanted it replaced. I said yes please because I am very hungry. He said no itll taste the same. so we said ok well we dont want to pay for it, he then got angry and said, yes you will pay half...(for a bite of a yuck burger and about 4chips) I said politely I'm sorry but no I will not pay for that. He said, No you've eaten half (a bite and a few chips of a $20 meal is half .. not) you pay half shaking his head and angriying his eyes. I got really frustrated and said no, you are being very disrespectful I come here almost every week and this is how I get treated?! I said I'm walking out without paying a cent so he says...ok ok ok I'll only charge you for one meal and your 2 cokes and your 2 teas which totals $42. I paid it and trust me I will never go back! I didnt click...but the asshole charged me half the meal acting like he didnt. The Indian owner needs to go to a customer service course and have proper qualified chefs. Such a shame because they have 2 really lovely waitresses. He should not own a cafe.

The Birkenhead location is the original Coffee General and I think it's my favourite. It's tiny but…read moreit has this great neighbourly vibe. You always seem to end up chatting to someone - the table next door or the lady behind you in the queue - everyone is just so damn friendly. Although there are a couple of seats inside I reckon the pick of the bunch is street side, out the front. It get's plenty of morning sun - the ideal spot to read the morning paper. Just like all the other Coffee Generals, you get to choose which beans you want them to use to make your espresso. I think there is normally three options but if your not sure, ask. The baristas are more than happy to help. Also would recommend trying their cold brew - so refreshing!

Hands down the best coffee in Birkenhead…read more For an upmarket suburb, Birkenhead is severely under catered for good quality cafes. Ethnic food yes, good coffee- not so much. Go to Coffee General for the coffee and stay for the cronuts/cinnamon brioche. Also, they stock allsorts of coffee paraphernalia for coffee geeks.

The best place to get coffee in the shorthand st / fort st area…read more Ryan and the team are always on fire, and the experience for most people working along shortland st serves as the highlight of the very busy and important day. These guys are specialise in serving high strength milk fixes like the short poor flat white, hard man, real man etc etc. Not to be forgotten is the cabinet which sits looker's right of Katie. Particular attention should be paid to anything with chorizo or lamb in it. A true institution.

The go-to coffee spot for many of the shortland st offices, it might be tiny but packs everything…read moreyou could want - friendly baristas, great coffee (especially with my fussy taste), delicious muffins, cakes (the ginger bread is unbeatable!) and gourmet sandwiches. If your a regular make sure you buy the $22 coffee card - gets you 6 coffees and if your usual is a Large Soy its great value!

Oh I love my coffee from Cartello Espresso, I have not for a while attended a day time gym session…read moreso I have missed my morning coffees here. However, it is sweet enough to rave about. This little caravan, has outside seating and is situated outside the Shane Cameron entrance just off Onewa road. The caravan, actually has been here for around four years, and was there when the Northcote Plant centre existed on the site. How time flies. Very friendly owner who runs the business who will make you a fabulous cup of coffee in a minute or so, you can sit and enjoy your coffee while you read the newspaper or magazines available. The gym's friendly dog is sometimes lazying out here in the sun, very happily chilling to the relaxed music. A great spot to grab a quick coffee, on the go.

Coffee was great!…read more Walked in and a girl was working the counter/machine. She was chatting with another girl. I thought she could've acknowledged me more/better but not a biggie. Coffee is no longer "pay as you see fit", it is a set price. No biggie either but just wanted to let you all know. I would go again - good coffee, good prices!

Visiting New Zealand for about a week, my friends & I stayed in Auckland CBD. We tried out several…read morecoffee shops throughout the trip and this is the only one we visited twice; that being said, we loved it! From the quality of the coffee beans (I brought a bag to take home it was so good :)), to the spectacular customer service (the mate who assisted us both times was extremely helpful, interactive, and made us feel so welcome even though we'd only just met) to the fantastic choice of sweets. All in all, if I called Auckland home this would definitely be my go-to coffee shop. Cheers!

I had not noticed this little shop before. It is a little bit classy compare to the rest of the…read moreBirkenhead shops. While very small, there is a totally cutesy little tea salon with little padded recliners and chandaliers to relax in while having tea and cupcakes. Very ladylike. And everyone knows that if you drink tea while having cake/ice cream/chocolate it melts all the calories and doesn't count. Anyway this shop is very cute and I was tempted to buy one of the delicious and fresh looking little carbalicious treats but at $5 I thought I'd come back another day with a friend, have one of those fat-melting herbal teas and enjoy a true Bloom Cupcakes experience.

Not sure how exactly I came across this one- but glad I did. Nice to have a nearby local cupcake…read morestore and such a cute one at that! Definitely glad that on one occasion I emailed in advance to reserve cupcakes otherwise we would have turned up and not been able to get any at all. Tried a lemon curd- which was a nice tangy one and Nutella- of course, can't go wrong. Also have tried the salted caramel cupcake on a different occasion, which was an excellent choice. The owner, Ann is very lovely and welcoming. Her space is such a delight- really like her giant chalkboard door and her massive chalkboard wall inside that is covered in chalk drawings. Very cool high-backed chairs to lounge on at the cute little tables. Awesome to see the cupcakes on white shelves just near the window and so cool that they are different flavours everyday- easy check on Facebook with updates. Can't miss the big pink cupcake sign outside on the front or the sign near the main road. Definitely in need of a revisit to try a new flavour from her interesting and sweet range. Particularly interested in a savoury one!

We LOVE Scratch HQ! Stopped in for a quick bite and boy were our tastebuds thrilled! You order at…read morethe counter and the staff brings your food to the table. The staff were friendly and efficient. Grab a bottle of water from the side board and dig in! The open seating lends well to large groups or one on one chats. There is a nice outside eating area as well.

Scratch is self titled... this place is magic. From the spices to the flavors this place focuses…read moreon on quality and flavor. There's so much care in the food and the ambiance is fantastic. One of the best places in Auckland in my opinion. The people here were patient and kind. I rarely repeat restaurants when I travel and having had the lunch I'm coming back for the eggs Benedict I saw and I'm giddy!

I was in Auckland for a day/night and found out about Mojo from all of you lovely Yelpers out there…read more:) We stayed the night in the Skycity Grand and walked over to Mojo from there. It was a few blocks away, and some hills worthy of mentioning (especially when you're pushing a 40-pound, 4-year-old uphill in a stroller), but anyway.... IT WAS SO WORTH IT! Wow, yum. I've had a lot of muesli since moving to New Zealand (it must be on every breakfast menu) and this one eeked it's way into first place. Really, it was right there at the top (see my picture). The coffees were awesome, though I don't prefer hot drinks to be served in glasses ('cuz they get too hot to hold) but I would have happily endured a few minor finger burns to gulp down that caffienated goodness. The only minor issue here was the seating (for us, with 2 kiddos). It's a lovely, long table through the center of the room (the decor is light and beautiful) but it's slightly socially awkward when everyone else is sitting at the far other end of the table (presumably, to avoid the kiddos). That said, however, one of the chefs was super nice to us, brought us lots of extra napkins (pre-emptively) and played peek-a-book with my 1-year-old while we ate and kept him occupied in the stroller. A high chair at the end of that beautiful table would surely have ruined the scene (but would have been helpful). In spite of these little things, our overall experience was excellent. Even my husband said so, and that's saying something :) We will happily come back here every time we are in the area.

Heads up coffee/food lovers... there's a new Mojo in town! From their popular Vulcan Lane store, to…read moretheir large cafe in Newmarket and now one has just opened on Durham Street! Located just up from Glassons and right next to Renkon, this new cafe is easy to spot - you won't miss the bright blue building and outdoor seating. Inside, the decor is light, bright and you can either sit at the very long table in the middle or at the window bar, which would be great for people-watching! Now, onto the food! Couldn't believe how many options there were! From their breakfast and lunch meals (they cook everything fresh to order), to sweet treats from Amandine, raw cheesecakes from The Raw Kitchen, plus amazing paninis (I like the prosciutto one), sandwiches and muffins etc. And we can't forget the coffee! I have to be honest, I didn't actually try one...instead I saw Kombucha (organic probiotic tea) on the menu and had never tried it so I finally did! But if their coffee is as good as their Vulcan Lane store, then I'm sold! Strong, extra hot coffee, just how I like it! If you're not a coffee lover, they also serve an array of drinks, such as sodas, kombucha (as mentioned above), juices, smoothies (I've got my eye on the cacao one) and Hopt soda! So excited to see a cafe in the CBD selling Hopt - made my day! Overall, had a great time at the new Mojo - now just gotta eat and drink my way through the whole menu!

A cute and cozy cafe in the middle of Birkenhead. Food is a tasty fusion of cafe breakfast foods…read moreand Indian cuisine. I recommend the Masala Hash and trying some of their interesting hot drinks like the Gingerbread Latte. There's puzzles and minigames available to play while you wait for food making this place a great space for families with young kids.

This place makes you feel cosy and has a homely feeling. The service here is great and the food…read morehere is delicious and filling. I ate the french toast which left me feeling good and sleepy. Haha. My friend had the eggs bene w/salmon and she said it was the best she'd ever had. The drinks were super tasty. We had the Tropical Sunshine and Mixed Berry Smoothies, a Chocolate Shake, and a soy latte. per the kids: AND THERE'S FREE WIFI!! Make this place your new go to brunch spot over the shore=)